A craving for more space and a calmer pace of life by the sea brought Jenny Box and her partner Chris to their 1920s Arts and Crafts home in Folkestone. Set back from the sea in the area known as the Creative Quarter in the town’s West End, and close to the independent shops and small eateries of Sandgate village, the house immediately stood out to them. ‘We fell in love with the Victorian promenade, the green spaces, the sea – and that it doesn’t feel like a typical seaside town,’ recalls Jenny. ‘It had so much potential, alongside the perfect garden for us and the kids.’
From the outset, Jenny and Chris had a light-touch, eco-aware approach, choosing to adapt the house’s existing footprint rather than significantly extend it. Working closely with architects Ratliff Landells, they focused on improving light and functionality. ‘It wasn’t great for everyday living or entertaining – the aim was to open it up, increase flow and create space for the kids to run wild.’
Central to the redesign is a wide corridor connecting the front entrance to the back garden. Designed as a hardworking transition space lined with cupboards and storage, it supports inside-outside living and keeps clutter at bay. ‘It bypasses the living spaces, allowing bikes to be wheeled through and wetsuits to be hung in the drying room.’ Curved solid-oak and glass doors at either end and a generous rooflight flood the space with light.
From tall skirting boards to simple, elegant cornicing, the house retained plenty of original features that Jenny and Chris were keen to preserve. ‘This was our first major renovation beyond simple cosmetic changes,’ Jenny explains. ‘It was a huge learning curve, which I fully embraced – I even took a plastering course!’ In rooms where original cornicing was missing, Jenny created bespoke moulds to reproduce the design by hand.
Once the architectural framework was in place, decisions had to be made about colour, and working with the architects gave Jenny the confidence to be bold: ‘We wanted a place that makes you smile as you walk through it.’ Now, striking contrasting shades run throughout the home, giving it a strong sense of personality. ‘We’re colourful people – we wanted the house to reflect that, and colour is such a mood-booster. Vibrant hues highlight details, making the whole space feel alive.’
The palette often evolved intuitively. The shades for the kitchen, for example, were inspired by a deep-green recycled rubber floor and terrazzo recycled-glass worktop, and a lively floral wallpaper was the starting point for the green bathroom, while the green-carpeted staircase and landing take their cue from the forest floor, complete with exposed beams and an acorn ceiling light for a woodland feel.
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These striking interiors reflect a shift in Jenny’s own personal style. ‘I’ve become more colourful in how I dress and how I express myself, caring less about fitting in and more about what feels good, which is often vibrant colour!’ That individuality shines through in the art and handcrafted pieces she and Chris have collected and displayed alongside the children’s artwork.
Standout items have been accumulated over many years. The centrepiece in the kitchen is a 12-seater Italian dining table that had lived in storage for four years, and ‘the wood-framed glass cabinet, a cast-off from a school-science department, discovered in a Bethnal Green salvage yard,’ remembers Jenny. ‘The library biography bookcase was a recent find in a Folkestone junk shop.’
The reconfigured rear of the house – once home to a dark kitchen – is now a bright space open to the outdoors. ‘The garden often feels like a painting, especially in autumn. Before, we could only see it from the sink.’ Throughout, space, light and colour were prioritised and brought into focus with repeated curves and arches that soften the whole design.
Looking back, it was the planning process that proved the biggest challenge. ‘With a property of this era, any external changes naturally attract interest, so we had to navigate a few opinions along the way.’ Combined with the inevitable chaos of a building site, it made for a lively experience but one that was ultimately rewarding. ‘We keep a little book of before-and-after photos, and it’s impossible not to feel proud. It’s a home that makes you want to spend time in it, bringing a sense of calm and joy that I believe is hugely important for living well.’
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